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Beeston, a postman for the last 20 years, says that responsibility for any relegation - after a decade in the Premier League - has to be shared by all those involved.

“If you go down, I think everybody has to come under scrutiny,” says the former midfielder. “You can’t just blame one person.

“One week it might be the players, but the next it might be the manager that’s picked the wrong team.

“Charlie Adam is getting some grief at the moment and it was a silly tackle. He’s not the best tackler around and he deserved to go.

Martin Atkinson awards Charlie Adam (L) a red card as Wayne Rooney (R) clutches his leg during the English Premier League football match between Stoke City and Everton. (Image: ROLAND HARRISON/AFP/Getty Images)

“But what’s happening isn’t his fault. It’s down to everybody and nobody should hide from that.

“I’ve been relegated with Stoke City, so I know what it’s like and it’s not nice.”

He admits that the prospect of cutting it in the Championship next season sends a shiver down the spine.

“It’s naughty down there! I just don’t want us to go down there. I think we’ll struggle because you’re going to lose your Jack Butlands and Xherdan Shaqiris.

“But maybe it will give our youngsters a chance. People are saying they are so good, so let’s get them in and see what they’ve got.

“Last season they got to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals, like we did back in the day, so hopefully they’ve got something and they will get their chance.”